150. Bridge
Street, Langley Mill Located at the end of this street is an
installation that looks somewhat out of place - installed within the carriageway
is what appears to be a pole used formerly in the supporting of overhead
trolleybus conductors. Two separate top-entry
Thorn Beta 5 35 W SOX lanterns are attached to
the pole, with one installed near the top and facing in the direction of the
footpath; the other, about half way down and facing the carriageway. The reason
for this curious arrangement is that the upper lantern previously illuminated a
flight of steps that brought the footpath up to the height of the adjoining
railway footbridge, allowing pedestrian access between two industrial buildings.
Following the demolition of these buildings and the construction of a
supermarket on part of the site, the footpath's height at this point was reduced
to ground level, making this lantern somewhat surplus to requirements. Indeed,
the column was proposed to be replaced as part of the supermarket works, and so
it is very much living on borrowed time, particularly as it is in increasingly
poor structural condition.

The service cable enters
from beneath the ground, and then passes through a steel conduit system
attached to the pole before entering the large control box just below
the lower lantern.

Visible above the base is a small
corrosion hole; further evidence that this installation is sadly in
need of imminent replacement.

Another hole is visible near the top
of the shaft; however, this appears to have been made artificially
and possibly was used to accommodate the bracket that supported the
overhead conductors.

The lantern brackets attach to the
pole using tension chains. The brackets are made by ESLA, and are
catalogued as the '1510' variety. The miniature cast iron fuse boxes
beneath each bracket both carry the inscription "ESLA Harrison
Type"; named after the company's founder, Haydn Harrison.

The tension chain attachment for the
lower bracket appears to have failed (or be failing), as cable ties
have had to be introduced, in order to prevent the bracket from
lurching forwards under the cantilever action of the lantern. The
original cover for the main fuse box (which presumably once housed a
time switch for operating both lanterns) has had to be replaced with
a temporary door intended for a curved lighting column.